Title

Author

Date of Award

1-1-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Anthropology

First Advisor

Alejandro Cerón, Ph.D.

Keywords

Health-Seeking Behaviors, Rural West Ghana, Medical Anthropology

Abstract

This thesis is the result of an exploratory project that included a six-week period of fieldwork in the rural farming village of Humjibre in the Western Region of Ghana. It examines the health-seeking behaviors I witnessed in this village, and discusses the barriers and facilitators that control those behaviors. It is my intention to demonstrate that there are many factors that influence concepts of health that lead to health behaviors. To fully understand how an individual functions within a medical culture, all the social, cultural, political, historical, and economic factors must be considered. Extensive background research was conducted prior to engaging in fieldwork, providing a conceptual and historical context. Through the use of participant observation and semi-structured interviews, and a critically-interpretive theory of medical anthropology for analysis, I was able to witness the many different healthcare options and to identify the key barriers to the utilization of formal health care facilities.